About Hendrik Kerstens

In 1995, Hendrik Kerstens picked up his camera to document the fleeting moments he shared with his young daughter, Paula—her sunburns, her baths—and began what would become a dedicated career in photography. As Paula grew older, Kerstens was struck by how much she resembled subjects of 17th century Dutch portraiture. He began photographing her in that style, with an austere expression against a solid dark or light ground; in these, Paula would be dressed in anachronistic riffs off traditional costumes, with lampshades or napkins standing in for proper hats. Bag (2007), featuring Paula with a plastic bag as a hat, served as inspiration for Alexander McQueen’s 2009 fall collection, and was featured on the invitation to the show.

Dutch, b. 1956, The Hague, Netherlands, based in Amsterdam, Netherlands